The invention is directed generally to an adjustable electrical light fixture, and more particularly, to a recessed light fixture capable of rotational adjustment so that the light fixture may appear to be level in relation to the ground beneath it.
Recessed light fixtures are becoming increasingly popular because of their numerous inherent advantages in both indoor and outdoor lighting installations. A significant advantage of recessed light fixtures is their ability to provide light in locations where light fixtures have traditionally not been located because they might create an obstacle in a traffic area or because they might detract from the desired visual impact of the area. Typically, recessed lighting may be located in areas such as walls, ceilings, hallways, walkways, retaining walls and nearly any other location desired.
In new commercial buildings such as office buildings, hotels and shopping malls, environmental lighting is often specified by the architect as part of the design. When recessed light fixtures are included in the lighting plans, it is desirable to prepare the site for the installation during construction by forming recesses or receptacles into which the fixture can be placed so that it is substantially flush with, or only slightly extending out from, the wall surface. The advance preparation of the installation site avoids the necessity of cutting holes in the wall after construction is completed, which can be particularly problematic for concrete, brick or stone walls. Even so, it remains difficult to install a recessed light assembly during construction of a supporting structure so that the light assembly is level with the ground beneath it upon completion.
For instance, during construction of a wall composed of concrete, recesses are formed by building into the mold a structure corresponding to each recess which is linked to one or more electrical conduits through which the wiring will be run. The housing may be attached to the mold so that the concrete forms around it. When the wet cement is poured into the mold, the mold or housing defines the location, shape and orientation of the recess. However, under the weight of the cement, some shifting may occur. Furthermore, while a mold builder typically attempts to correctly position the structure for the housing, rarely is a level used to ensure proper orientation. If the mold builder is under an impending time deadline, the leveling of the housing for the recessed light fixture is generally not very high on the list of priorities, exacerbating the leveling problem. As a result, it is not uncommon for the housings for recessed light fixtures to be tilted at an orientation which is not parallel to the ground. The lack of leveling becomes particularly noticeable when there are a number of recessed light fixtures installed in a wall along a walkway, where it becomes very obvious that the fixtures do not follow a straight line. Thus, one generally should not rely solely on the concrete formers to ensure correct installation of the light fixture.
For installation in stucco walls or drywall, a housing or box for supporting the recessed light fixture is typically mounted within a wooden frame built within the structure supporting the wall. Generally, the fixture housing is roughed into the wall using flex conduit. It may be nailed or screwed to the frame. While mounting the housing for a recessed light fixture within a stucco wall or drywall may be easier than mounting it within a concrete, brick or stone wall, it is not uncommon that after its installation, but before completion of the wall, the housing mounted in the wall will be struck or bumped in a way that will knock the housing out of position. Thus, even though the housing was positioned correctly within the structure at the outset, the light fixture is not in the correct position upon completion of the wall.
Thus, the need remains for a recessed light fixture having an means of adjustment enabling the light assembly to be positioned and moved independent of its housing so that the light fixture appears to be level in relation to the floor or other desired point of reference.
In an exemplary embodiment, the recessed light fixture comprises an adjustable structure which allows the light fixture to be rotated so that it is level in relation to the ground located beneath it. The light fixture includes a housing, a light assembly and a retention member. The light assembly is disposed within the housing and retained using the retention members that are attached to the housing. The light assembly Is composed of at least one light bulb receptacle and at least one slot for receiving the at least one retention member. The housing includes an opening for receiving the light assembly and a flange positioned within the opening.
The light assembly further comprises a frame and at least one light bulb receptacle. The frame comprises two support members and, in a preferred embodiment, a plurality of reflective surfaces. The plurality of reflective surfaces are attached to and positioned between the two support members. The two support members further comprise at least one mounting plate, at least one transition plate, and at least one receptacle receiving plate. In one embodiment, the at least one mounting plate includes a slot for receiving the retention member. The slot may be positioned in numerous locations on the at least one mounting plate including an upper edge, a bottom edge, or a side edge. Essentially, the slot is positioned so that the light assembly may be rotated within the housing so that it appears to be level with the ground beneath it. During rotation, each retention member located within a slot guides the light assembly. The at least one light bulb receptacle can be any standard light bulb receptacle or may be a custom design. Further, the at least one light bulb receptacle is mounted to the at least one receptacle receiving plate.
In one embodiment, the plurality of reflective surfaces are mounted to two receptacle receiving plates proximate to at least one light bulb attached to the at least one light bulb receptacle in order to reflect light produced by the at least one light bulb out the opening of the housing. The reflective surfaces have numerous finishes ranging from complete reflection to partial reflection.
The recessed light fixture is mounted to a wall or other generally vertical structure by first positioning the housing within the wall. Preferably, this is accomplished during the construction phase because it is less time consuming than forming the necessary recess or hole after completion of the wall. During the process of mounting the housing to a wall, electrical wires are inserted through knock-out ports located within the housing. After the housing has been mounted to the wall, the electrical wires are connected to the at least one light receptacle. The light assembly is then mounted to the housing. If the retention members are already mounted in the flanges of the housing, the light assembly is Inserted into the housing and rotated slightly to secure the retention members within the slots. Otherwise, the light assembly is inserted into the housing and the retention members are inserted through the slots and the holes in the flanges. Once the light assembly is secure, the cover is installed on the light assembly using various attachment means, including, but not limited to, screws, releasable adhesives, bayonet mounts, retention snaps or other retaining methods.
The installer then assesses the position of the cover. If the cover is correctly positioned, the installation process is complete. However, if the cover is not in correct alignment with the desired reference surface, the light assembly can be adjusted. First, the installer determines the approximate angle of deviation from level. In one embodiment, the light assembly can be adjusted by removing the cover and backing out the at least one retention member. The light assembly can then be repositioned and the retention members placed in tension once again. The cover is re-installed and its position is checked once again. Once the cover is in the proper position, the installation process is complete. Otherwise, this process is repeated until the installer is satisfied with the light assembly""s position.
In another embodiment, the light assembly""s position may be changed without removing the cover. Specifically, the cover may contain openings and vents, which operate to deflect light downward. Further, a portion of the at least one opening may be sized to allow the retention members to be accessed from outside the cover. Thus, the installer may back off the retention members without having to remove the cover. Once the retention members have been backed off, the light assembly may be realigned. The retention members are tightened once the light assembly has been placed in the desired position.
This invention is advantageous because it enables an installer to correctly position a cover of a recessed light regardless of the position its housing. Not only does this process save time, but it also increases the aesthetic qualities of the light fixture.